1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed generally toward administering a mobile telephone service. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward allowing a change in the billed party in a mobile telephone call.
2. Description of Related Art
The mobile telephone has ushered in a new era in interpersonal communications. While the late 1990s' widespread consumer interest in the Internet made ours a wired world, technical advances and increased consumer appeal are ushering in a new “wireless world.” A number of mobile telephone manufacturers and service providers cater to a growing base of mobile telephone subscribers. Unlike most local telephone service in the United States, but akin to long-distance service, mobile telephone service is usually billed in minutes of airtime. That is, the amount a customer is charged is proportional to the amount of time spent in mobile telephone calls. For instance, a five minute call will usually cost five times as much as a one minute call.
Because having every minute of every call charged for is a major discouragement to consumers wishing to use mobile telephones, mobile service providers often employ a billing system in which customers pre-pay for a certain number of minutes of airtime each month. When a customer makes a call, the minutes of airtime are subtracted from the customer's balance of minutes for the month. Any additional minutes exceeding the customer's pre-paid balance are billed for separately. In most billing schemes, the current month's minutes expire at the end of the month if not used.
Mobile telephones, by their very nature, may be used virtually anywhere, including in stores and other establishments. It would be desirable, therefore, if establishments could provide an incentive to their customers by paying for their customers' airtime and/or other telephone charges while on the premises.